Ski binding

ABSTRACT

A SKI BINDING HAVING A CLAMP MEMBER FOR PROJECTING OVER AND ENGAGING THE TOP OF THE SOLE OF A SHOE AND A PROJECTION FOR EXTENDING UNDER AND ENGAGING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SOLE OF A SHOE. MEANS ARE ALSO PROVIDED FOR SUPPORTING THE PROJECTION AND THE CLAMP FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER WITH RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING THE PROJECTION AND THE CLAMP MEMBER TOGETHER.

Jan. 12 1971 SMQLKA ETAL 3,554,571

SKI BINDING Filed NOV. 14, 1968 INVENTOR. THO/7,45 65/704164 W4Z71 SCH/V462,

23% flaw 5% ATTOE/VEY-S United States Patent 3,554,571 SKI BINDING Thomas G. Smolka, Vienna-Mauer, and Walter Schwarz,

Strasshof, Austria, assignors to Wiener Metallwarenfabrik Smolka & Company, Vienna-Schwechat, Austria Filed Nov. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 775,694 Claims priority, application Austria, Nov. 21, 1967, A 10,513/67 Int. Cl. A63c 9/084 US. Cl. 280-1135 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ski binding having a clamp member for projecting over and engaging the top of the sole of a shoe and a projection for extending under and engaging the underside of the sole of a shoe. Means are also provided for supporting the projection and the clamp for movement relati e to one another with releasable locking means for releasably locking the projection and the clamp member together.

This invention relates to a ski binding comprising a clamp engaging the top of the sole of a shoe and a projection engaging the bottom of the sole of the shoe.

The projection and clamp of most known ski bindings are rigidly connected together and pivot together about an axis during the stepping-in process and during a safety release. It sometimes happens during the pivoting that, due to the inclined position of the projection and clamp, their distance apart in relation to the vertical changes and thus the sole of the shoe may be distored and thereby damaged. Therefore, ski bindings hae been constructed in which the projection and clamp are movably arranged to one another. The projection and clamp move toward or away from one another during a pivoting action, however, they do so only in their front area. The distance between the projection and clamp does not in these designs change hereby at the pivot point. Thus, there is no assurance that distortion and consequent damage to the sole of the shoe would not occur.

The basic purpose of the invention is to avoid these disadvantages and the invention is characterized in that the projection and the clamp are arranged movably relative to one another. This construction assures that during the stepping-in process and also during a safety release both parts, projection and clamp, can move with respect to each other over the entire area in which they are opposite to each other.

According to a further characteristic of the invention, a guide for the projection is provided in association with the clamp. A resilient member is advantageously provided on the projection and the clamp. Said resilient member can be a spring, a rubber butter or the like.

The subject matter of the invention is illustrated byway of example in several embodiments in the drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 to 3 schematically illustrate a ski binding of the invention and its function.

FIG. 4 illustrates a rear tensioning device constructed according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line V-V of FIG. 4.

According to FIGS. 1-3, the clamp 2 is pivotable on arms 2a about a pivot axis 5 arranged on the housing 6. The clamp 2 is held by the locking device 7, 8 when in position of use. In the case of an overload, for example, in case of a fall when a safety release takes place, the clamp 2 swings upwardly about the axis 5 so that the binding takes a position which is illustrated in FIG. 2.

The clamp 2 has a guide 3 therein in which a projectice tion 1 is movable. A tension spring 4 which is connected between the projection and the clamp 2 urges the projection upwardly into its uppermost position whereby the binding is ready for use according to FIG. 2. If a ski is to be put on, the sole of the shoe is placed on top of the projection 1 and pressed downwardly against the force of the spring 4 so that projection 1 moves to the position of FIG. 3. The stop 9 on the projection 1 abuts against the stop 10 on the clamp 2 so that upon a further downward urging thereof by the shoe, the clamp 2 is also pulled downwardly and pivoted about the pivot axis 5. The force of the spring 8 must therefore be overcome so that the locking ball 7 can move out of the upper recess and can again enter the lower recess when in the position of use.

Since the distance between the projection 1 and the clamp 2 can change, it is assured that during the process of putting on the ski, the sole of the shoe can be received underneath the clamp without causing damage to the sole of the shoe. The force of the spring 4 which is to be overcome must be weaker than the locking force of the spring 8 so that a telescoping of projection 1 and clamp 2 is made possible. The spring 4 has only the function of pulling back the projection 1 an dtherefore, the spring 4 is of a relatively weak construction. If, as is desired in some circumstances, the sole of the shoe is to be clamped between the projection 1 and the clamp 2, a relatively strong spring 4. will in such case be provided. However, the force of said spring is still less than the locking force of the spring 8.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a rear tensioning device, the holder 2 of which can be pivoted about the axis 5 arranged in the housing 6. The relative height of the clamp 2 can be adjusted by means of a screw 11. A locking member 12 is urged into engagement with a bar 13 secured to the clamp 2 by a spring 14 and serves to fix the clamp 2 in a position of use or in a position for stepping-in. A guide 3 has extensions which are rivetted to the clamp adjacent the lower portion thereof. The projection 1 can be moved in the guide 3 against the force of the spring 4. The spring 4 is secured between an extension 15 of the projection 1 and an extension 16 of the guide 3, which extension is rigidly connected to the clamp 2 at 3a. If the projection 1 is moved, it compresses the spring together which spring, after the compressive force is removed, moves the clamp back to its original position.

A release lever 17 is associated with the locking device 12. When the release lever 17 is operated, the locking device 12 moves rearwardly so that the clamp 2 can be moved upwardly into the position illustrated in broken lines. After releasing the lever 17, the locking device 12 moves forwardly again, abuts the bar 13 which is also illustrated in broken lines and urges same against the housing 6. During the process of stepping into the binding, the projection 1 (in broken lines) is first moved relative to the clamp 2 against the urging of the spring 4 until the ext nsion 15 abuts against the upper end of the guide 3. Thereafter, the clamp is pivoted downwardly about the axis 5. The bar 13 thereby slides downwardly along the locking device 12 and urges same back to assume the position illustrated in full lines in FIG. 5. The locking device 12 now engages and projects over the bar 13 and thus maintains the binding in a position of use.

The projection can be caused to lie underneath a sup port plate arranged on the ski so that said projection does not contact the sole of the shoe or the sole of the shoe can be maintained between the projection and the clamp 2 by the force of the spring 4. It is also possible for the projection 1 to abut the underside of the sole without any force. During a safety release, the upper side of the sole of the shoe presses against the clamp 2 which in turn urges the bar 13 and the locking device 12 rearwardly.

3 The binding then takes on the position illustrated in broken lines.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Many construction possibilities are given which lie within the scope of the invention. It is for example possible to provide in place of a tension or pressure spring also a rubber buffer or the like. Of course, the invention can be applied to all types of ski bindings which comprise a projection and a clamp.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A ski boot heel binding, comprising:

a clamp for projecting over and engaging the top of the sole of said ski boot;

a guide on said clamp;

a projection for extending under and engaging the underside of the sole of said ski boot and slideably guided by said guide to permit a movement of said projection toward and away from said clamp;

a resilient member interconnecting said projection to said clamp to continually resiliently urge said projection toward said clamp and stop means for limiting the sliding movement of said projection,

2. A ski boot heel binding according to claim 1, in which the resilient member is a spring.

3. A ski boot heel binding according to claim 1, in which the resilient member is a rubber buffer.

4. A ski boot heel binding according to claim 1, including releasable locking means for releasably locking together the projection and the clamp.

5. A ski boot heel binding according to claim 1, wherein said clamp and said projection are parallel to each other and said guide permits a movement of said projection toward and away from said clamp while maintaining the parallel relationship therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,125,349 3/1964 Schweizer 280-11.35(HA) 3,298,703 1/1967 Marker 280-11.35(HA) 3,333,859 8/1967 Smolka et a1. 28011.35(HA) 3,391,944 7/1968 Shimizu 280'11.35(HA) 3,428,329 2/1969 Scheib et a1. 28011.35(HA) FOREIGN PATENTS 1,500,063 9/1967 France 28011.35(HA) BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner MILTON L. SMITH, Assistant Examiner 

